Bharti Sharma
bhartisharma705139@gmail.com
Captain Vikram Batra is remembered as one of the bravest soldiers of india.He was born on 9 September 1974 in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh. He belonged to a simple and loving family. His parents were Girdhari Lal Batra and Kamal Kanta Batra. He had a twin brother, Vishal and both of them were lovingly called “Luv and Kush” at home.
Vikram completed his schooling from D.A.V Public School and Kendriya Vidyalaya in Palampur. Later, he joined D.A.V College in Chandigarh. During college, he became an active member of NCC (Air Wing) and was awarded the Best NCC Cadet of the North Zone.
He once got a good job offer in the Merchant Navy in Hong Kong. But he did not accept it because he wanted to join the indian Army. He believed serving the country was more important than earning money. He cleared the Combined Defence Services Examination and joined the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun. In December 1997, he became a Lieutenant in 13th Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles (13 JAK Rif). His first posting was in Sopore, Jammu and Kashmir, where he gained experience in difficult operations. In 1999, during the Kargil War under Operation Vijay, his unit was sent to the Dras sector.
On 20 June 1999, Lieutenant Vikram Batra led his team to capture Point 5140, a very important and dangerous enemy post at a height of around 17,000 feet. Despite heavy enemy firing, he climbed the steep mountain with great courage. He personally fought in close combat and killed enemy soldiers. After successfully capturing the post, he sent the famous radio message, “Yeh Dil Maange More!” This message became a symbol of bravery during the Kargil War and earned him the code name “Sher Shah.”
After this mission , he was promoted to the rank of Captain. Soon, he was given another challenging mission – to capture Point 4875 in the Mushkoh Valley. On 7 July 1999, even though he was suffering from fever, Captain Batra decided to lead the attack himself. During the battle, he saw an injured soldier and went forward to save him. While trying to move him to safety, he was shot by the enemy. Even after being seriously injured, he continued fighting bravely. His last words were “Durga Mata Ki Jai.” He sacrificed his life for the country at the young age of 24.
For his great bravery and sacrifice for the country, Captain Vikram Batra was awarded the Param Vir Chakra after his death, which is India’s highest bravery award. Point 4875 was later renamed “Batra Top” in his honor.
His life story has inspired millions of Indians. It was also shown in the 2021 movie Shershaah, where actor Sidharth Malhotra played his role.
Captain Vikram Batra will always be remembered as a true hero of India. His courage, dedication and love for the nation continue to inspire young people. He proved that real heroes are those who put their country .His famous words, Either I will come back after hoisting the tricolour, or I will come back wrapped in it, but I will be back for sure” , show how his deep dedication to the country. He will always be remembered as the brave “Sher Shah” of Kargil.
This article is written by Bharti Sharma, a student of Mass Communication & New Media at Central University of Jammu.
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